I Think I'm Hallucinating
by Broken Resistance
Summary: Rated for swearing...Alright, this is your typical Newsies go forward in time fic, but with a little more of a realistic edge to it. NON MARY-SUEish type--PROMISE. Full of humor and sarcasm...Humor Me an' read!
1. I Think I'm Hallucinating

****

Author's Note: Alright, those who know me are probably fairly upset that this story is up instead of **_A New Beginning? _**BUT, give me a little slack…this is the product of too little sleep and too much sugar…yes Katz, the Runtz **are** to blame!!! Chances are this fic will never go anywhere, but hey, **I WAS BORED!!** So humor poor li'l ol' me and review if you happen upon this story!!!

CHAPTER 1— "I think I'm hallucinating" 

The black cursor blinked over and over at the end of the last sentence that lay on the white screen. I sat with my fingers on the keys of the keyboard thinking of the next thing to write, I'd been writing her Newsies fan fic for the past half hour, and now was out of ideas. I'm a rather large Newsies fan and an avid fiction writer, well if you counted, one finished 13 chapter story and a 26 chapter and counting story that I'm currently working on, as avid. Yawning, I absently tapped my fingers lightly on the keys and glared at that little blinking black line. 

"We're leaving!" A voice called from downstairs. 

"Bye." I called back absently still staring at the words that had been written across the page and that damn black line, still blinking. My parents were taking my little sister out for the night, which was no skin off my back what-so-ever. I took my fingers from the keyboard and hit my head lightly into the foam pad that served as a wrist pad next to the keyboard. Raising my head after a minute I glanced behind me to the TV and VCR that stood on my dresser on the other side of the room. Next to it lay my prized copy of _Newsies_. Twirling a stray piece of hair around my finger I looked from the movie which stood invitingly, back to the computer screen which had been the object of frustration for the past few minutes, with that black cursor…still blinking. 

I looked once again back at the video and then a seconds decision turned back to my computer, pressed the 'Ctrl' and 'S' keys and then closed down the word program, and stood up. Walking over to the movie, I picked it up and headed out my bedroom door. I didn't feel like sitting in my room watching the movie on such a small TV when there were others in the house that were bigger. Plus the house was empty, meaning I could turn it up as loud as I wanted without getting yelled at to turn it down from anyone in my family. Stopping momentarily on the main floor to grab the portable phone, I turned and made my way down the wooden stairs into the invitingly cool basement and into the small corner set aside that held an old couch and a TV, VCR and a PS1 (the PS2 was upstairs in the family room). Sticking the tape in the VCR, I grabbed both remotes, pushed Power on one, and Play on the other and sat myself down on the couch just as Racetrack's voice filtered out from the sound system 

__

"In 1899 the streets of New York City echoed with the voices of newsies, peddling the papers of Joesph Pulitzer, William Randolph Hurst and other giants of the newspaper world…" 

I smothered a yawn as I desperately tried to pay attention to the movie I knew by heart, but it was useless, the week had been too long and I was just too damn tired. For the first time in my life I drifted off to sleep in the middle of _Newsies._

I jumped and woke with a start as I felt a hand gently shake my shoulder, the basement was on it's way to being dark and the flickering TV didn't help my already blurred vision. But figuring that my family was just home early and it was my dad that had woken me I didn't look around me as I picked up the two remotes next to me and hit both power buttons before reaching up to grasp the light string that dangled over my head. Pulling it, the small section of the basement was bathed in light and I looked up into the eyes of who I thought would be my dad. 

"Holy shit!" I jumped up rather quickly and tripped over myself (which happens more times than I'd like to admit). Falling rather hard on my butt I looked up at the one…no, two people who stood in front of me, another one had stood up from the floor next to the couch I'd been sleeping on. It took me about a full minute to fully register what I was seeing, and just as it did the phone rang causing me to jump again. But I wasn't the only one, my two intruders had jumped higher than I did and were staring at the small black thing laying on the couch with wide eyes. The second ring came and I cleared my head and got to my knees and reached for the phone.

"Hello?" I said trying to steady my breathing and my heart rate

"Ally?" The voice of my best friend reached my ears.

"Hey Katie, what's up?" I said looking back up at the two guys standing in front of me.

"Nothin' much, I'm bored so I thought I'd call ya. You writing like I told you to?" Katie asked, oblivious to my current situation. 

"Uh…yeah, I was. Then I watched the movie in hopes of some inspiration, an' now, uhm…I think I'm hallucinating." I answered falling back from my knees to my back so I was lying on the ground. 

"…you been eatin' more of those runtz Brian gave you?" Katie asked lightly, referring to an inside joke between the two of us. 

"Uhm…no…" I answered, the two boys in front of me were giving me the oddest looks imaginable. 

"What's wrong?" Katie asked me, serious this time.

"You have your car?" I asked back, trying to remember if this was the weekend where Katie's parents had left to go to their lake house. 

"Yeah…" came the hesitant answer.

"Get over here. Now." I instructed, before hitting the off button on the phone and sitting up once again to look at the two boys standing clueless and a little hesitant in front of me.

"Hi…" I said slowly.

****

Author's Note: See…it wasn't **that** bad, stupid, yes I'll grant you that. Anyway…if any of my New Beginning reviewers/readers happen to come across this, **Chapter 26 has been uploaded**. 


	2. They're Going to Lock Me Up

**__**

Disclaimer: Forgot to add this on the first chapter. I do not own any of the Newsies mentioned in this story, nor do I own Kate, she, happens to own herself…well, most of the time. I do on the other hand own Ally evil laugh that is most unfortunate for her!   
_InSaNeLy_  
-SLICK

****

Author's Note: Alright, I'll be the first to admit, I _really_ didn't expect any reviews on this story, I mean…yeah, I really didn't. So thanks to those of you who did review, and you all receive ShoutOuts b/c I like doing them! Ah yes, I did forget to also add that the this story all started b/c I was having a major case of Writer's Block on **_A New Beginning?_**, those damn black cursors!! 

****

Tool of a Higher Power—Thanks. I hope to keep going for at least a few more chapters. Thanks for reading and reviewing. 

****

Legs—Wow, I didn't expect quite a…zealous review, thanks. LoL, I'm sorry for the ending of the last chapter, but I do like to add a little suspense to my stories, makes it more interesting. I really do hope that you are still alive and well, b/c please I do not have any money for your family to sue me for if you died over a story such as this…it wouldn't be worth it. But thank you again, I wanted to write a fun story but make the characters more realisitc and not quite so…smarmy…But Thank You!

****

Dreamer—Uhmm…alright? LoL, yes the start of this story I had a little too much sugar combined w/ frustration on my other story, so I needed to vent. I'm glad you liked it tho. So, thanks for R&Rin', I really appreciate it. 

****

Imaginelet—Thanks! You will find out which newsies are included in this chapter, so jus' relax. Thanks again for reading and reviewing. 

****

Splash—Perhaps the same Splash who is a character in my other story?? Anyway…I had already written in the Newsies before I received your review, and just for the heck of it I decided to grant your request, just to make it more interesting and not use the same newsies everyone else does. So…I went back and changed it. Hope you like. Thanks. 

CHAPTER 2—"They're gonna lock me up"

"'ello…" The one who had woken me said slowly, surveying me oddly, I could see the pink tinge of his undershirt poking out from underneath his dirty shirt. 

"Yeah…hi." His dark-haired companion said hesitantly.

I knew each of them. Well I recognized who they were dressed as, whether they happened to be the two boys in the flesh I wasn't quite sure, but there was one thing I WAS sure about. They were pretty darn good lookin. An' don't get me wrong I'm not a normal 16 year old girl, I don't go drooling over every good-looking guy that walks my way, but hey, I did have eyes. 

"So…ummm…" I started, not quite sure what to say.

"Uh…where are we?" The one with the pinkish undershirt asked me through his horrible accent.

"uhm…Iowa?" I tried, I realized I sounded like a complete idiot, but give me a little credit, I had just woken up to find two guys standing over me, dressed like they belonged in a time 100 years ago. And not to mention the fact they looked straight of the movie that I had just got done…sleeping through. 

"Iowa? Were's dat?!" The other one asked.

"The middle of no where." I answered curtly. "So, uhm…Snitch, Skittery? Whoever the hell you are…how the hell did you get in here?" I asked hesitantly, not quite sure if I was still asleep and this was one of my more crazy dreams.

"Wait, how do ya knows ouah names?!" The Snitch looking kid asked.

I gave them a weak smile, "Lucky guess?" I got two skeptical looks in return, which in all honesty I'd expected. 

"So…who were ya jus' talkin' to? On that thingy." The Skittery look-a-like asked, pointing to the portable phone, his voice gave away the nervousness his facial expressions didn't.

Great, they were scared of me. "A friend of mine, she'll be over in a minute or two to tell me if I'm hallucinating." I answered well aware that I was talking to two people who for the world of them looked like authentic 1899 New York City newsboys. "Oy, they're gonna lock me up in an asylum 'til I'm a hundred and forty two!!" I cried putting my head in my hands. 

A hand lightly patted my shoulder, "There there." I looked up and gave the Snitch look-a-like a withering look, he just smiled feebly back. 

Vaguely I heard pounding coming from upstairs, my first thought was that there were more of these what I hoped were figments of my imagination. Through all the fog in my brain it finally got through to me that it was probably Katie and that she was more then likely in a state of panic owing to the way I had talked to her. I started to get up when I heard the distinct sound of our garage door opening above my head. Panic shot through me, now would NOT be a good time to have my parents come home especially if it had been Kate at the door in the first place. Of course I still wanted to believe I was hallucinating, there was more comfort in that thought. The panic kept knocking at my brain and I finally got up ran around the corner and up the stairs taking them two at a time. As the door leading in from the garage opened I dashed out the basement door and collided with a short, dark, curly-haired girl who looked almost as panicked as I felt. 

"WHAT'S GOING ON!?" Kate yelled grabbing me by my shoulders. 

Aside from the fact my best friend was about to rip my head off I felt relieved to see her and not my parents. "How…" I was about to inquire on _how_ she had gotten in but trailed off remembering she had the code to open our garage door from the outside panel. 

"ALLY?! I just speeded my arse off the ENTIRE way here because you sounded like you were about to be abducted and…HOLY SHIT…" Kate cut her tirade off mid-sentence and I glanced warily behind me, already knowing who I would find. Sure enough the two 1899 version of Disney newsie look-a-likes of Skittery and Snitch stood behind me, looking like two lost puppy dogs.

"Damn, I'm not hallucinating." I muttered prying myself from Kate's grip. 

"You want to be hallucinating?" Kate gave me a weird look. All I responded with was a glare, "Right. So…_are_ they who I _think_ they are?" She asked me her face genuinely curious. 

"And _how_ am **I **supposed to know?" I responded giving her an exasperated look.

"She already knew ouah names." The guy I thought for the world was Snitch volunteered. 

Kate cringed at his accent, "An' your name would be…what?" She questioned looking at him.

"Snitch! An' this is Skitts." He said with a little too much enthusiasm, pointing at his companion.

I groaned and sank down to the kitchen floor, coming to rest spread-eagled, my eyes closed. Kate muttered something about me being "over dramatic." I ignored her and tried to picture myself actually awake and out of this dream-come-true-turned-nightmare-as-soon-as-my-parents-got-home situation I was in. 

"Is she ok? Cause that's the second time she's done that." The so-called Skittery asked Kate worriedly. 

"Oh she's just fine." Kate responded sweetly. I raised a single finger in response and imagined the smirk it got in response. Kate and I knew each others attitudes and the meaning behind each tone of voice we used to talk to each other or others with like the back of our own hands. "Nice." Kate said, likely in response to my finger. 

"Somebody, have mercy, WAKE ME UP!!" I cried. A foot suddenly made contact with my side, hard. I opened my eyes and glared into the dark green ones staring down at me. 

"You're not sleeping, dreaming, hallucinating, whatever. By the way _did_ you have some of those runts Brian gave you? Cause you're acting _really_ odd." Kate asked, her face going from a smirk to genuine concern as she finished talking. 

I seriously thought about giving her the finger again, either that or smacking her upside the head but deciding neither would do any good I pushed her face away from mine and sat up. "No, I didn't have any runts, they are still upstairs in the corner of my room where they have always been. Ok, let me explain this to you in plain English Kate. I'm really _not_ complaining at the sudden appearance of those two." I pointed to the two boys who were staring around the kitchen in an awed manner. "I mean, just look at them, they're not bad to look at. But, may I remind you that it will be _slightly_ hard to explain to my parents when they get back home why there are two boys in our house and I have no inkling of an idea how they got there in the first place." 

Kate thought about this for a second, "Yeah you do have a point." I rolled my eyes, glad to see I had gotten through, and she thought I was the blond one. She turned to the boys again, "So exactly how _did_ you two end up in this house?" 

Skittery was still gazing around like he was on some drug, Snitch elbowed him sharply in the ribs. "Huh?" Skittery asked lost.

"Yeah, how did you get here?" I asked, realizing I really had never gotten around to asking that question, silly me.

"Dunno." Skittery said blankly, Snitch looked thoughtful. I on the other hand slapped my hand to my face. 

"Yer gonna end up hurtin' yerself if ya keep doin' that." Snitch said looking at me worriedly, obviously he hadn't seen a teenage girl get upset before. 

"Do _you_ have any idea how you got here? Any idea at all?" I pleaded looking at Snitch like he was the only sane one in the room, he look apologetic, but he shrugged and shook his head. "This is just not possible, absolutely and scientifically _not_ possible, and yet here I am talking to two guys who look just like those good lookin' actors and I'm not hallucinating, cause…" I paused to rub my side where I'd been kicked… "Not possible." 

"Oh give it up Ms. Science Techie, Lab Rat person." Kate said smacking up lightly upside the head, "How a person such as yourself can have such a great imagination when it comes to writing, but when she sees things it's gotta be scientific, I will never know, nor understand." 

"Hear hear." I mumbled quietly. 

"Besides" Kate smirked evilly, looking at the two boys with a demonic expression on her face. 

I was about to remind her that she did have a boy friend, when I remembered she'd broken up with him, see how I keep up on my friends' love lives? "Don't even say it." was all I settled with knowing the thoughts running through my best friend's head.

"Aww, come on Ally, you _need_…" I clamped a hand over her mouth rather quickly before she could finish her sentence. 

"Do not." I said, as convincingly as I could, while withdrawing my hand, she smirked and I glared, this probably would have gone on for several minutes if someone had not cleared their throat. 

"What?" Kate and I asked simultaneously, glaring up at the two boys. 

Snitch and Skittery had the grace to look slightly uneasy as Kate and I continued to glare at them. "So uh…were are we again?" Snitch asked again, at least I think he was the one who'd asked it before.

"Iowa." Kate said crisply, "More commonly known as the middle of absolutely no where."

I nodded in agreement, "That's the truth." 

Kate snorted, "I wouldn't be talkin' if I was you, you're from South Dakota…now _that_ is the middle of no where." 

I was about to retort with some more then likely profane statement when Skittery cleared his throat this time. These boys were no fun, not leaving time for bickering. "What?" I asked almost exasperatedly turning to him. 

"So we ain't in New Yawk?" Skittery asked trying to clarify the situation. 

"No." I said, "No where close. Though I wish we were, more interesting then Iowa." I looked thoughtfully at Snitch, who in turn blushed a little bit. Kate snickered, and while pretending to stretch elbowed her rather hard in the side. 

"So uhm… question." Kate started looking at Skittery, "What's the date today?" 

Skittery looked at her like she was the one going insane instead of me, which was a nice change, "July 12th 1903." He responded. 

"I wish." I muttered almost inaudibly. Unfortunately Snitch caught the statement.

"What do ya mean you wish? What's the date 'cordin' to you then?" He asked looking rather miffed. 

I glanced at my watch, it was indeed July 12th. "July 12, 2003" I answered, looking at the ground. 

"WHAT!?" Came the response seconds after I had spoken. 

"Really? It's already the 12th? Sheesh, summer's almost over." Kate said looking sad. I sent her a glare that got mixed with a smirk. We turned our attention back to the boys who looked at us like we were both mental. 

"_Now_ do you see why I was just a _tad_ bit surprised to see you?? Hmmmm??" I asked rather indignantly. Snitch and Skittery plopped down onto the floor beside Kate and myself, but neither said a word. I gritted my teeth, why me? 

"Since none of us know _why_ you two are here, how 'bout you start from the beginnin' and tell us all you remember?" Kate said, playing the role of diplomat, "Maybe we'll figure _something _out aside from the fact that I'm starting to agree with Ally here and we are all hallucinating." The 117-year-old Snitch and Skittery who still looked like they were 17 glanced at each other and nodded. 

Dear God, this was going to be a long night. 

Thanks again to those of you who read this, please review…b/c if there are no reviews, I won't bother continuing this story, so if you'd like to see more, please let me know. Thanks to all of you again! You're awesome! **__**

_InSaNeLy___  
-_SLICK_


End file.
